2017 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2017 · GS Paper I

Question 53: History and Culture

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements :

  1. 1.Sautrantika and Sammitiya were the sects of Jainism.
  2. 2.Sarvastivadin held that the constituents of phenomena were not wholly momentary, but existed forever in a latent form.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

a1 only
b2 only
cBoth 1 and 2
dNeither 1 nor 2

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

Sautrantika and Sammitiya were schools of Buddhism, not Jainism, so Statement 1 is wrong. The Sarvastivadins, an early Buddhist school, held that the elements of existence (dharmas) exist in the past, present and future, that is, not wholly momentary but persisting in a latent form, so Statement 2 is right. Remember: Sarvastivada ('all exists') is a Buddhist school, and Sautrantika and Sammitiya are Buddhist too.

  • 1. Sautrantika and Sammitiya were Buddhist schools.
  • 2. Sarvastivadins held that dharmas persist across time in latent form.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) and (c) go: each of them includes 1.

    What you needed to know: Sautrantika and Sammitiya were Buddhist schools.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 2 is correct, (d) goes: it leaves 2 out.

    What you needed to know: Sarvastivadins held that dharmas persist across time in latent form.

Only (b) is left. This one needs every statement.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Wrong: these two were Buddhist sects, not Jain.
  • (b) Right: only the Sarvastivadin description is correct.
  • (c) Wrong: statement 1 is false.
  • (d) Wrong: statement 2 is correct.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2017, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.